A Japanese court has directed
Google to remove search results to information that links a Japanese man - the plaintiff in a court case requesting an injunction against Google - to crimes he did not commit. The court, the Tokyo District Court, requires Google to remove around half of 237 listings that are shown when the plaintiff’s name is searched for using the search engine.
The judge in the case, Judge Nobuyuki Seki, ruled that Google's search results gave the impression the plaintiff was a "bad man", infringing on his personal rights. The judge ruled that as Google managed their search engine, it was their responsibility to remove the listings. At the moment Google's Japanese arm is reviewing the ruling.
The court's provisional order is the latest in a number of similar rulings directed towards Google. In May this year the European Court of Justice determined that individuals have the "right to be forgotten". The court's ruling suggested individuals in Europe can ask Google to delete personal data generated by its search engine that has become outdated or inaccurate. The controversial decision means Google must decide on which of the thousands of requests it receives on a weekly basis should be complied with, and which information should remain.
What are your thoughts? Do people have a right to be forgotten? Add your comments below.
